By Fernando Nietzen
Matthew 13:30 ‘Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”(NKJ)
One of the most common obstacles to be overcome by potential believers is the recurring question: “If God is so loving, why is there such suffering in the world?”
I was reading the book of Matthew as I have done so many times when suddenly the Lord revealed His answer to the above question.
In Matthew 13:24-30 Jesus uses the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares to help us understand what the kingdom of heaven is like. Those of us who are already part of His kingdom are presently rubbing elbows with those planted alongside us by God’s enemy.
On our path to bearing fruit in His kingdom, we were born, begun to mature and even been born again. But at the same time and in the same space we have to continue to experience the effects and the consequences of sin all around us.
Since we are not yet perfect or mature, some of that sin is our own, but much of it is the result of those whom have hardened their hearts against Him.
These tares are the sons of the wicked one.
It is not yet harvest time, thus we cannot be totally renewed and purified for the heavenly kingdom. In verse 29 we see that Jesus is saying that because of the Fathers’ mercy He does not put an end to the abuse and the sin by those considered tares because the wheat is not yet ready.
We cannot be separated. If the reaping was done before our time, much wheat would be lost and this is of eternal consequence, in contrast the current state of suffering is only temporary.
It is His desire that even some who are now acting as tares will be able to change and become wheat before the harvest.
This is His mercy since God is not willing to have anyone perish, but to have everlasting life.
Let us do our part in bringing in the lost to the kingdom of Heaven, and have more wheat than tares.
Channelofhealing
February 11, 2009 at 1:44 pm
It is His desire that even some who are now acting as tares will be able to change and become wheat before the harvest.
Amen to that, that is why we must engage in Prayers that our fellow Chrsitians who are standing and those who have fallen should be redeemed before He comes again.
Godbless you
Great Post
mom2olivia
February 9, 2009 at 6:45 pm
I know that I have learned that many times bad things happen to good people for God to use those experiences to allow those people to open their hearts and need Him. I have tried to share that with others too, but sometimes when people are in the midsts of a battle they cann’t see clearly as God wants them to. I think it comes down to faith many times. God askes us, are you going to trust me, even when you can’t see the next step? God Bless, Robin